Members of the Sarakari Aspatre Ulisi Horata Samithi (Action Committee on Save Government Hospital) took out a procession from Katipalla to Surathkal on Friday, demanding the upgradation of the Surathkal Primary Health Centre into a Community Health Centre.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Members of the Sarakari Aspatre Ulisi Horata Samithi (Action Committee to Save Government Hospital) took out a procession from Shamsuddin Circle in Katipalla to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Surathkal on Friday, demanding the upgradation of the Surathkal PHC into a Community Health Centre.
They also demanded the establishment of units of Kidwai, Jayadeva and NIMHANS hospitals in Mangaluru.
Speaking on the occasion at Surathkal, Muneer Katipalla, district convener of the samithi, said public health services in Dakshina Kannada have deteriorated severely. A situation has arisen where ordinary people are forced to sell their homes and properties if they are afflicted by neurological disorders, cancer or heart ailments. Fearing the exploitative practices of private hospitals, people from low-income families are reluctant to seek medical care even when symptoms appear. “It is shameful that an industrial town like Surathkal does not have a government community hospital,” he said, adding that this reflected the failure of the local MLA.
Mr. Katipalla said that owing to hazardous pollution from petrochemical industries, Surathkal Hobli has become a hotspot for various diseases. A community hospital should be sanctioned for Surathkal immediately. It was disappointing that the Health and Family Welfare Department had rejected two earlier proposals to upgrade the local PHC, he said.
He warned that if the demand for a community hospital in Surathkal is ignored, and if promises on establishing Kidwai and Jayadeva units are not fulfilled immediately, an indefinite protest would be launched in Surathkal.
Published – October 02, 2026 08:31 pm IST
